Getting over someone isn’t easy, and mending a broken heart takes effort. When is it time to start seeing someone new? Is it as soon as I download Bumble and get my first match? Is it a competition to see who can move on first? Or should I wait until I’ve actually learned the lessons from my past relationship, and my heart feels healed and open again? Clearly, that would be the most mature route.
Here are some comforting signs you’re ready to move on from your last relationship, since it’s really best to wait until you’re ready.
- You Don’t Stalk Your Ex’s Social Media
Most people definitely fall victim to this. Some go to the extent of deleting their Facebook because they could not stop checking up on their ex and his/her relationship status on it.
I believe that unfollowing exes on social media is self-care, and sometimes, in an effort to move on, you have to do it. If you are no longer checking your ex’s social media, or if it doesn’t trigger you and send you on a downward spiral, it’s a good sign you’re ready for someone new.
- Songs On The Radio Don’t Remind You Of Your Ex
The moment where love songs on the radio do not remind you of anyone is the moment where you are truly liberated from any form of heartache. While there are plenty of songs that you can use as a barometer of judging whether or not you still love your ex, I find that Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” works best.
If you can get through the entirety of the above video without a single memory of your past, then you have, indeed, moved on from your past relationship. Give it a go. Do you pass the test?
- You’re Not Dating To Make Your Ex Jealous
If you’ve moved on from your past, though, you don’t care about what your ex does. You probably don’t want them to know your business. You’d like to protect them from further heartbreak, and you wish them the best. You’re not trying to incite jealousy or anger for the sake of reigniting conversation or drama.
If you’re dating without your ex in mind, then you’re probably actually ready to move on. But if you are excessively posting pictures on the Internet or writing statuses about how happy you are, then you might be dating for someone else, not for you.
- You Don’t Think Of Your Ex When Personal Life Events Occur
When you face various personal life events and you quickly reach out to your Ex about them, then you’ve probably not moved on yet.
When life events occur and you don’t use them as an excuse to reach out to someone from your past, that means you probably have both feet planted firmly in the present.
- Hooking Up With Someone New Doesn’t Make You Sad
You’ve been there before: You think you are finally over your ex, you go on a great date with someone new, you go in for the kiss or maybe something more, and automatically, you are reminded of your past and are overwhelmed with missing your ex. You can’t wait to get home and call them, stalk their social media, or beg to get back together. Nothing compares to them. A new person’s lips feel entirely different, and you’re sure you will never get used to someone else again.
It’s a horrible sinking feeling. But if you don’t feel that, then you have definitely moved on. Sometimes, if we’ve rushed into something new too quickly, our bodies and our minds are just not ready for it. But if the timing is right, a new person won’t remind you of what you’ve left behind. They will make you excited about the future.